Machine for washing laundry, dishes or the like

ABSTRACT

A domestic washing machine or dish washer having a detergent flushing basin divided into at least three compartments for holding detergents to be fed into the washing area. The detergents are successively flushed into the washing area by water supplied by conduits directed to the various compartments. Two water conduit branches participate in emptying at least one of the compartments.

United States Patent m13,5s9,1s0

[72] Inventors Johannes Hubertus Poletiek Amiens (Somme), France; Pieter Hendrik Johannes Brouwer,

Groningen, Netherlands [21] Appl. No. 816,960

[22] Filed Apr. 17,1969

[45] Patented June 29,197]

[73] Assignee U. S. Philips Corporation New York, N.Y.

[32} Priority Apr. 24,1968

[33] Netherlands [54) MACHINE FOR WASHING LAUNDRY, DISHES OR THE LIKE 17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1 68/17, 68/207 {51] lot. Cl D06f 39/02 [50) Field of Search 68/17, 207;

{56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,206,330 7/1940 Pierce 68/207 X 2,619,825 12/1952 Rosenkransm. 68/207 X 2,927,600 3/1960 Pellering 137/266 3,086,379 4/1963 Plante 68/17 X 3,298,207 1/1967 Bannon 68/17 Primary Examiner--- Francis K. Zugel Attorney-F rank R. Trifari ABSTRACT: A domestic washing machine or dish washer having a detergent flushing basin divided into at least three compartments for holding detergents to be fed into the washing area. The detergents are successively flushed into the washing area by water supplied by conduits directed to the various compartments. Two water conduit branches participate in emptying at least one of the compartments.

PATENTED JUN29I97| 3589.150

sum 1 OF 3 INVIZNTORJ JOHAN NES H .POLETIEK PIETER H.J.BROUWER 'ZM AW AGEN PATENTEU JUN29 I97! SHEET 2 BF 3 fig.3

1NVENTOR JOHANNES H.POLET|EK PIETER .J.BRO UWER BY a M;

AGENT PATENTEUJUNZQIQYI 3,589,150

INVENTORJ JOHANNES H.POLETIEK PIETER H..I.BROUWER AGENTX MACHINE FOR WASHING LAUNDRY, DISHES OR THE LIKE The invention relates to a machine for washing laundry, dishes or the like, in which during the washing process deter gents must be successively carried from supply containers into a washing space, a number of parallel-connected branches of a water conduit being provided for emptying said containers.

In machines of this kind, the washing and rinsing water is generally supplied through supply containers containing detergents in the solid or liquid state. Consequently, it must be possible to switch during the washing process from one branch of the conduitto the other so that the water is passed through another supply container.

At present, there is a need of adding to the number of deter gents used in the washing process, for example, afterrinsing agents which are generally in the liquid state but may also be in the pulverulent state. As a result, a more complicated switching mechanism must be incorporated which is expensive and susceptible to interference. An example of such an arrangement comprising a rotary valve housing has been described in German Pat. Specification No. 1,129,920. It will be appreciated that it is important to avoid the use of such complicated arrangements as far as possible in domestic machines,

In German Auslegeschrift (application laid up for public inspection) No. 1,253,219, it has been suggested to use for the after-rinsing agent one of the supply containers for another detergent by manually placing therein a cup containing the after-rinsing agent after the relevant detergent has been used up. Though the solution thus obtained is cheap, it is not particularly suitable to be used in modern machines in which a high degree of automation is required.

The invention provides a solution for this problem and is characterized in that at least two of the branches of the water conduit participate in producing the jet of water emptying one of the supply containers.

Preferably, the flow through each of the parallel-connected branches is controlled and the ratio between these branches are adjusted by regulator valves which are controlled by the program control device.

In another preferred embodiment, the two branches of the conduit participating in producing the jet of water emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that they mutually influence the currents of water flowing through or out of said branches.

The invention provides a large number of practical applications. Four embodiments will be described below with reference to a diagrammatic drawing, whilst further features of the invention will be disclosed.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first and simple embodiment of a domestic washing machine according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the first embodiment, and

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show a second, a third and a fourth em bodiment, respectively.

FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a domestic washing machine comprising a frame 1 a tub 2 and a washing drum 3, which drum 3 is adapted to rotate about a shaft 4 and is driven by a motor 5. Water is supplied to this machine through a water conduit 6 which is split up into two parallel branches 7 and 8 eachof which includes an electromagnetically operated valve 9 and 10, respectively. These valves are controlled by the pro gram-control unit (not shown).

The detergent flushing basin 11 is divided into three compartments 12, 13 and 14 for receiving a detergent required for the prewash, the detergent required for the main wash and an after-rinsing agent, respectively.

The two outlets 15 and 16 of the branches 7 and 8 of the water conduit are arranged above the detergent flushing basin 11 in such a manner that they are located just above the afterrinsing agent container 14 but are directed to the containers 13 and 12, respectively. The outlets 15 and 16 otherwise lie in the same plane so that the emerging jets of water intersect. If the valve 10 is opened in order to carry out a prewashing treatment, the jet of water emerging from the outlet 16 empties the container 12. The contents are passed through the opening 17 into the tub 2. During the subsequent washing treatment, the valve 10 is closed and the valve 9 is opened. Consequently, the contents of the container 13 are carried by the jet of water emerging from the outlet 15 through the opening 17 into the tub 2. During the subsequent after-rinsing treatment, however, the valves 9 and 10 are both opened. The jets of water flowing out of the outlets 15 and 16' meet and together constitute ajct of water which is directed straight downwards and mainly gets into the container 14 and flushes its contents across the rim and then also through the opening 17 into the tub 2. It should be taken into account that the containers l2 and 13 are then empty already.

In this embodiment, the jet of water emptying the container M is produced by the mutual influence of the jets of water emerging from the two outlets l5 and 16. This embodiment further illustrates a few features of the invention which have not yet been mentioned, i.e. that the branches 7 and 8 of the conduit have outflow openings 15 and 16 which are directed to the other supply containers 13 and 12, respectively, that when the valve (9 or 10) is opened, the emptying jet of water is produced by also opening the other valve (10 or 9), and finally that thejets of water flowing out of the openings 15 and I6 intersect.

In a modification of the embodiment described shown in FIG. 2, each of the conduit branches 7 and 8 is split up into a main branch 29 and 30, respectively, and a side branch 27 and 28, respectively. The latter branches have outlets 25 and 26 which are arranged above a container compartment 24 in the same manner as the outlets 15 and 1.6 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The main branches 29 and 30, however, merge into the two remaining container compartments 22 and 23 of the detergent flushing basin 21. The compartment 23 is adapted to receive a prewash detergent which is passed through the opening 17 into the tub 2 when the valve 20 in the conduit 8 is opened. Water then flows not only out of the opening of the conduit 30, but also out of the outlet 26 of the side branch 28; however, this jet of water is directed past the container 24 to a partition wall 18 so that the water of this jet cannot enter either the container compartment 24 or the compartment 22. Prior to the main washing treatment, the valve 20 is closed and the valve 19 is opened, as a result of which water flows from the conduit 29 into the container compartment 22 and the main wash detergent is flushed through the opening 17 into the tub 2. At the same time water flows from the side branch 27, which is also directed past the container compartment 24, into the compartment 23; however, the latter compartment is then empty already so that there is no risk of the detergent being mixed. Finally, during the after-rinsing treatment, the valves 19 and 20 are both opened, as a result of which the water flowing out of the two side branches 27 and 28 empties the container 24 in the same manner as described in the preceding example and flushes its contents into the tub 2. Water then also flows out of the conduits 29 and 30, but the container compartments 22 and 23 are empty already so that only the additional advantage is obtained that the water supplied is accelerated.

Besides the features of the invention already mentioned, this embodiment has the feature that the branches 27 and 28 arranged to obtain a mutual influence are side branches of the conduits 29 and 30, the outlets of which are directed to the supply containers 22 and 23.

In a second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the detergent flushing basin 31 has two containers 32 and 33 for prewash and main wash detergents and a compartment 34 which is separated by two partition walls 47 and 48 from the first-mentioned containers and into which merges a pipe 41. This pipe is connected through a lead, for example, a hose 42, to a container such as a bottle 44 which is placed in the lower part of the washing machine at an area which is readily accessible. The hose 42 projects over such a distance into the bottle 44 that the bottle, whose contents consist of a liquid after-rinsing agent, can be drained. The lower part of the pipe 41 is provided with a partition wall 43 and is connected to two waterconduit branches 37 and 38 located on either side of the partition wall 43. The said branches 37 and 38 are side branches of the water conduits 49 and 50 the outlets of which are directed to the containers 32 and 33 and are connected through valves 39 and 40 to the branches 7 and 8 of the water supply conduit 6.

The outlets 35 and 36 of the branches 37 and 38 are arranged in the pipe 41 so that if water flows out of both of them, the detergent is sucked up from the container 44 by injector effect and is flushed with the water through the opening 17 into the tub 2. However, if water flows only out of one of the two outlets 35 and 36, no suction effect is produced so that the detergent is not sucked up. This is the case if one of the two valves 39 and 40 is not opened, i.e. if, like in the preceding example, the water flowing out of one of the outlets 49 and 50 still has to empty one of the containers 32 and 33.

In this embodiment, the contents of the supply container 44 need not be equal to the contents required for a washing cycle, but the quantity of after-rinsing agent may be sufficient for several cycles. It is even possible to use the container in which this agent is normally commercially available.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the detergent flushing basin is divided into the compartments 52 for the main wash detergent, 53 for a prewash detergent and 54 for an aftenrinsing agent. In this case, the latter container is adapted to receive an agent in the solid state (in powdered form, in the form of flakes or the like), but a container for a liquid agent (cf. FIGS. 1 and 2) may of course also be used.

The water conduit 6 is again split up into parallel branches 7 and 8 which are connected through electromagnetic regulator valves 59 and 60 controlled by the time switch of the machine to water supply conduits 69 and 70 which merge into the compartments 52 and 53, respectively, of the basin 51. In this case, the conduit 69 has a thin side branch 58 and the conduit 70 includes a chamber 61 into which merges the side branch 58 of the conduit 69. The wall of the chamber located opposite to this outlet is provided with an opening to which is connected a conduit 57, the outlet 56 of which lies in the container 54.

lf the valve 60 is opened, water flows through the conduit 70 and the chamber 61 into the container 53, as a result of which a prewash detergent is flushed through the opening 17 from the basin 5] into the tub 2. This valve 60 is closed as soon as a sufflcient quantity of water has entered the tub to carry out the prewashing treatment. At the beginning of the main washing treatment, the valves 59 and 60 are both opened so that the water flowing out of the conduit 69 flushes the main wash detergent into the tub 2. The water flowing out of the conduit 70 accelerates the water supply. A current of water now also flows through the conduit 58 to the chamber 61, but in this chamber the said current of water is deflected by the current of water flowing out of the part 62 of the conduit 70 taken along to the outlet of the conduit 70 in the con' tainer compartment 53.

At the beginning of the after-rinsing treatment, only the valve 59 is opened. The water then flows through the conduit 69 and also through the conduit 58. The latter current of water now does not meet any resistance in chamber 61 and flows further through the conduit 57 to the container compartment 54 from which it flushes the after-rinsing agent into the tub 2 in a manner already described.

It can be seen that thejet of water emptying the after-rinsing agent container is produced by closing the valve 60 of the two valves 59 and 60. It can also be seen that the current of water through the conduits 58 and 57 has a lower capacity than that flowing through the conduit 70.

FIG. 5 finally shows a detergent flushing basin 71 which is divided into container compartments 72, 73 and 74, the latter compartment being adapted to receive an after-rinsing agent which may be in the liquid state. The parallel branches 7 and 8 of the water-supply conduit 6 are in this case connected through electromagnetic valves 79 and to the supply conduits 89 and 90, the outlets of which extend into the container compartments 72 and 73, respectively. The conduit 89 has a side branch 78 the outlet 76 of which extends into the container compartment 74. This side branch 78 includes a valve 75. This valve, which is of known type and which will not be described in detail because it is not essential to the invention, responds to the pressure in a medium connected to it. In this case, a side branch 77 of the conduit is connected to said valve and the valve is opened when the side branch 77 is not subjected to pressure and the valve 80 is closed, whereas this valve is closed in the opposite case, i.e. when the valve 80 is opened. When the valve 75 is opened, it will supply water and hence cause the container 74 to be emptied only when the valve 79 is opened. The operation is as follows. if the compartment 73 contains the prewash detergent and the compartment 72 contains the main wash detergent, the valve 80 is opened first and water flows with the prewash detergent through the opening 17 into the tub 2. The valve 75 remains closed due to the pressure in the conduit 77. Subsequently, at the beginning of the main washing treatment, both valves 79 and 80 are opened, as a result of which the water flowing out of the conduit 89 flushes the main wash detergent into the tub 2. The valve 75 still remains closed due to the pressure in the conduit 77. During the subsequent rinsing treatment, the valve 80 is closed and the valve 79 is opened, as a result of which water flows not only out of the conduit 89 but also out of the conduit 78 because the valve 75 is now opened due to the disappearance of the pressure in the conduit 77.

In this embodiment, the arrangement may also operate differentially, i.e. if the valve 75 is constructed so that it is opened when the conduit 77 is subjected to pressure and hence when the valve 80 is opened, whereas it is closed in the opposite case, Le. when the valve 80 is closed. In this case, the container compartment 72 must be filled with the prewash detergent and the compartment 73 with the main wash detergent. During the prewashing treatment, first the valve 79 is opened, the valve 75 remaining closed, after which the valve 80 is opened, the valve 75 then also being opened, which has no consequences because the valve 79 remains closed; finally, during the after-rinsing treatment, the valves 79 and 80 are both opened, as a result of which the valve 75 is also opened.

Thus, this embodiment can be used for various applications and illustrates also a few features of the invention which have not yet been mentioned, for example, the feature that the relevant conduit branches are arranged so that a variation of the pressure in one of the conduits involves a variation of the current at the outlet of the other conduit. A variation of the pressure in one conduit may then involve a variation of the current at the outlet of the other conduit in the same sense or in the opposite sense.

We claim:

1. A machine for washing articles comprising a washing space for holding the articles to be washed, a plurality of supply containers for holding detergents to be supplied to the washing space at successive times during the washing process, a plurality of water conduits connected in parallel branches supplying water to sequentially empty the supply containers and arranged so that at least two of said branches cooperate to produce ajet of water emptying one of the supply containers.

2. The machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a regulator valve operated by a program control device located in each of said parallel-connected conduit branches for controlling the flow of water therethrough and for regulating the ratio between said branches.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two conduit branches cooperating to produce the jet of water emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that they mutually influence the flow of water through said branches.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the jets of water emerging from the two cooperating conduit branches intersect.

5. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduits produce jets of water for emptying one of saidcontainers and at least one of said conduit branches has an outlet directed to one of the other supply containers.

6. The machine as claimed in claim I wherein at least one of the conduit branches producing ajet of water emptying one of the supply containers is a side branch ofa conduit the outlet of which is directed to one of the other supply containers.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the jet of water emerging from an outlet of one of the branches has a lower capacity than the water emerging from the outlet of the other branch.

8. The machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the conduit branches are arranged so that a variation of the pressure in one of the conduits results in a variation of the flow at the outlet of the other conduit.

9. The machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein an increase of the pressure in one of the conduit branches produces an increase of the current at the outlet of the other branch, and a decrease of the pressure in the former conduit produces a decrease of the flow at the outlet of the latter branch.

10. The machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein an increase of the pressure in one of the conduit branches produces a decrease of the current at the outlet of the other branch, and a decrease of the pressure in the former branch produces an increase of the flow at the outlet of the latter branch.

11. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outlets of the conduit branches cooperating in emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that when the regulator valve in one of the branches is opened, the emptying jet of water is produced by opening the regulator valve in the other branch.

12. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outlets of the conduit branches cooperating in emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that when the regulator valve in one of the conduit branches is opened, the emptying jet of water is produced by closing the regulator valve in the other branch.

13. The machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein the two cooperating conduit branches merge into a third conduit so that the jets of water emerging from these two branches together produce in this third conduit an injector effect, and in that this third conduit is connected to a supply container for a liquid detergent.

14. The machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the supply container for a liquid detergent to be emptied by means of an injector effect is arranged at a certain distance from the remaining containers at an area readily accessible to the machine.

15. The machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein the contents of said supply container for a liquid detergent exceeds that required for a single washing cycle.

16. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the regulator valve in one of the two conduit branches is controlled by the pressure in the other branch.

17. The machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the detergent containers are assembled so as to form a unit, and wherein the number of parallel conduit branches connected to said unit is smaller than the number of containers of which the unit is composed. 

1. A machine for washing articles comprising a washing space for holding the articles to be washed, a plurality of supply containers for holding detergents to be supplied to the washing space at successive times during the washing process, a plurality of water conduits connected in parallel branches supplying water to sequentially empty the supply containers and arranged so that at least two of said branches cooperate to produce a jet of water emptying one of the supply containers.
 2. The machine as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a regulator valve operated by a program control device located in each of said parallel-connected conduit branches for controlling the flow of water therethrough and for regulating the ratio between said branches.
 3. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two conduit branches cooperating to produce the jet of water emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that they mutually influence the flow of water through said branches.
 4. The machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the jets of water emerging from the two cooperating conduit branches intersect.
 5. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conduits produce jets of water for emptying one of said containers and at least one of said conduit branches has an outlet directed to one of the other supply containers.
 6. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the conduit branches producing a jet of water emptying one of the supply containers is a side branch of a conduit the outlet of which is directed to one of the other supply containers.
 7. The machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the jet of water emerging from an outlet of one of the branches has a lower capacity than the water emerging from the outlet of the other branch.
 8. The machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein the conduit branches are arranged so that a variation of the pressure in one of the conduits results in a variation of the flow at the outlet of the other conduit.
 9. The machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein an increase of the pressure in one of the conduit branches produces an increase of the current at the outlet of the other branch, and a decrease of the pressure in the former conduit produces a decrease of the flow at the outlet of the latter branch.
 10. The machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein an increase of the pressure in one of the conduit branches produces a decrease of the current at the outlet of the other branch, and a decrease of the pressure in the former branch produces an increase of the flow at the outlet of the latter branch.
 11. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outlets of the conduit branches cooperating in emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that when the regulator valve in one of the branches is opened, the emptying jet of water is produced by opening the regulator valve in the other branch.
 12. The machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outlets of the conduit branches cooperating in emptying one of the supply containers are arranged so that when the regulator valve in one of the conduit branches is opened, the emptying jet of water is produced by closing the regulator valve in the other branch.
 13. The machine as claimed in claim 11 wherein the two cooperating conduit bRanches merge into a third conduit so that the jets of water emerging from these two branches together produce in this third conduit an injector effect, and in that this third conduit is connected to a supply container for a liquid detergent.
 14. The machine as claimed in claim 13 wherein the supply container for a liquid detergent to be emptied by means of an injector effect is arranged at a certain distance from the remaining containers at an area readily accessible to the machine.
 15. The machine as claimed in claim 14 wherein the contents of said supply container for a liquid detergent exceeds that required for a single washing cycle.
 16. The machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the regulator valve in one of the two conduit branches is controlled by the pressure in the other branch.
 17. The machine as claimed in claim 16 wherein the detergent containers are assembled so as to form a unit, and wherein the number of parallel conduit branches connected to said unit is smaller than the number of containers of which the unit is composed. 